Tuning device for stringed musical instruments

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a device for tuning a stringed musical instrument by a simplified procedure. 
     Every time stringed instruments are to be played, all the strings, which are loosened while not in use, must usually be tuned one by one. This imposes a heavy burden on the player. The invention provides a device by which strings in an initially tuned state can be loosened all at the same time by a single action and can thereafter be restored to the previous tuned tensioned state at the same time for use. 
     The device comprises a movable support (4) carrying string winding assemblies (5) and reciprocally movably supported by the head (10) of a stringed instrument, and a reciprocating assembly (6) for forcibly moving the support (4) to loosen the strings from a tuned state or tension the strings to the original state all at the same time. 
     To assure greatly improved performance, the tuning device of the invention is further equipped with means for reliably holding string ends to string winding pins, an assembly for visually tuning the strings, and an assembly for holding the strings under tension. The invention can be embodied for stringed instruments having strings for producing tones, such as guitars, mandolins, contrabasses, violins, violas, cellos, etc.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a tuning device which is adapted for use inguitars, violins and other stringed musical instruments having stringsfor producing tones and by which all the strings in a tuned state can beloosened at the same time and can thereafter be returned to the originaltuned tensioned state at the same time. More particularly in connectionwith the tuning device, the invention relates to means for reliablyholding the string to a string winding assembly, an assembly forindicating the degree of tension of the strings and an assembly forholding all the strings tensioned.

BACKGROUND ART

The strings of a stringed musical instrument are provided on the frameof the instrument all under fairly high tension. If the instrument isallowed to stand with the strings held tensioned, various objectionscould result. For example, the strings would be elongated or broken dueto fatigue, or the members holding the strings under tension would bedeformed or damaged. Accordingly it is desirable to loosen all thestrings after playing, but if loosened, the strings must be tensionedand tuned one by one with use of a pitch pipe or the like before playingthe instrument. The tuning procedure requires much labor and is verycumbersome especially for beginners.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

According to the present invention, the head 10 of a stringed instrumentis provided with a movable support 4 which is reciprocally movable alongthe strings and which is equipped with string winding assemblies 5 forthe strings. The movable support 4 is forcibly shiftable back and forthby a reciprocating assembly 6, whereby the strings can be loosened allat the same time after tuning or can be returned to the original tunedstate under tension at the same time. This serves to eliminate thetuning procedure conventionally needed every time the instrument is tobe played, greatly alleviating the burden on the player.

Further according to the invention, a holder 15 is attached to one endof each string, and the holder 15 is engaged in a holding portion 55formed in an insertion bore 54 of a string winding pin 50 to reliablyhold the string end to the pin 50. While the string is liable to slip onor disengage from the winding pin 50, such an objection can becompletely avoided to reduce the necessity of tuning and assure theadvantages of the invention.

Further according to the invention, there is provided an assembly 7 forindicating the shift of the movable support 4 on a scale with anindicator 70 which is shiftable with the travel of the movable support 4so that the instrument can be tuned visually while watching theindicating assembly 7 instead of resorting to the hearing senseconventionally used for tuning. Thus the instrument can be tuned moreeasily, rapidly and accurately.

Further according to the invention, the device is provided with means 9for restraining the return of the movable support 4 due to the tensionof the strings to completely prevent all the strings from loosening atthe same time and thereby enable the device to exhibit improvedperformance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a folk guitar equipped with atuning device of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view partly broken away and showing the constructionof a head;

FIG. 3 is a view showing the construction of the head as it is seen fromtherebelow;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view partly broken away and showing a windingpin with a string held thereto;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view partly broken away and showing anotherembodiment for holding the string to the winding pin;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a holder with a string end attachedthereto;

FIG. 7 is a view illustrating the construction of an indicatingassembly;

FIG. 8 is a front view partly broken away and showing the constructionof a head embodying the invention for a classic guitar;

FIG. 9 is a view showing the construction of the head as it is seen fromtherebelow;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view partly broken away and showing a windingpin with a string held thereto;

FIG. 11 is a front view partly broken away and showing a head embodyingthe invention for a folk guitar;

FIG. 12 is a view illustrating the construction of a head including aforce doubling mechanism as the head is seen from below; and

FIG. 13 is a view in section showing a holding assembly incorporated ina head.

BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The present invention can be embodied for various stringed instrumentshaving strings for producing tones, for example, for stringedinstruments, such as guitars, mandolins, harps and contrabasses, inwhich the strings are plucked to yield tones, and for violins, violas,violoncellos and like instruments in which tones are produced by thefriction of a bow with the strings.

The drawings show embodiments of the invention for guitars, moreparticularly for folk guitars and classic guitars. These embodimentswill be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 to FIG. 3 show a tuning device embodying the invention for a folkguitar and provided on a head base 2 integral with the frame 1 of theguitar. The frame 1 comprises a body 12 and a neck 13 extending from thebody 12 longitudinally thereof. Each of six strings 11 provided on theinstrument 1 has one end attached to a holding plate 14 on the upperside of the body 12 and the other end wound around a winding assembly 5mounted on a head 10 at the forward end of the neck 13. The head 10comprises the base 2 projecting from the forward end of the neck 13 anda fixed support 3 fitted to the under side of the base 2 and secured tothe base 2 at suitable peripheral portions with screws. The fixedsupport 3 supports beneath its under side a movable support 4reciprocally movable along the strings 11.

The base 2 is formed in its under side with three cavities 21 along eachof its lateral opposite sides in symmetrical arrangement, the cavitiesfurther extending through the base 2. Each of the cavities 21 hasaccommodated therein the winding assembly 5 for the string 11. The fixedsupport 3 comprises a horizontal base plate 30 having a front wall 31extending downward from its front end and opposite side walls 32, 32.Flanges 33, 33 for slidably supporting an end portion of the movablesupport 4 project from the rear end of the base plate 30 on oppositesides of its under surface. The base plate 30 has apertures 34positioned in corresponding relation to the cavities 21 of the base 2.The winding assemblies 5 for the strings 11 project through theapertures 34 into the cavities 21.

In corresponding relation to the apertures 34 of the fixed support 3,the winding assemblies 5 for the strings 11 are mounted on the movablesupport 4 which is made of metal plate.

The winding assembly 5 comprises a string winding pin 50 and a peg 51intersecting eacn other at right angles and coupled together by a wormgear 52. The pin 50 and the peg 51 are turned by a knob 53 to wind thestring end on the forward end of the pin 50. With folk guitars, thewinding pin 50 is supported vertically on the movable support 4 with itsupper end projecting upward beyond the base 2, while the peg 51 issupported horizontally on the under surface of the movable support 4with the knob 53 projecting sidewise from the movable support 4.

Since the movable support 4 is reciprocally movable relative to thefixed support 3, the cavities 21 in the base 2 and the apertures 34 inthe fixed support 3 preferably have an elongated shape permitting thereciprocal movement of the winding assemblies 5.

While the string is liable to slip on or dislodge from conventionalstring winding pins, such trouble can be completely eliminated by thestructures shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5. With reference to these drawings,the winding pin 50 has a string insertion bore 54 extendingdiametrically therethrough and a holding portion 55 provided byenlarging one open end of the bore 54. A groove 56 for engaging in thestring is formed in the end face of the pin 50 in communication with theinsertion bore 54. The string is placed into the bore 54 through thegroove 56 with the string end attached to a holder 15, and the holder 15is engaged in the holding portion 55. The string is thus held to pin 50and wound around the pin.

The holder 15 is tapered in the form of a cone or pyramid. When it ismade from synthetic resin, the string end is embedded in the holder 15as bent to a U-shape to attach the string 11 to the holder 15.

FIG. 6 shows another example of the holder 15 which is made of metal.The holder 15 is formed at its opposite sides with axial wavy cutoutgrooves 16 and 16. With one end of the string 11 engaged in the grooves16, the holder 15 is pressed to close the groove openings and hold thestring end in place. The holding portion 55 in the pin 50 is of courseshaped in conformity with the shape of the holder 15. The holder 15 isnot limited to the conical form shown in FIG. 4 or to the pyramidal formshown in FIG. 5 but can be of any desired form.

A reciprocating assembly 6 is provided between the fixed support 3 andthe movable support 4 for forcibly shifting the movable support 4. Aninternally threaded sleeve 35 is attached to the front wall 31 of thefixed support 3. A handle stem 61 having a handle 60 at its base endextends through the sleeve 35 in screw-thread engagement therewith. Theforward end of the handle stem 61 projecting inside the front wall 31 iscoupled to an edge of the movable support 4 by a force doublingmechanism 8 and a connector 41. Thus the movable support 4 isreciprocally movable by turning the handle 60. The force increasingmechanism 8 used for the present embodiment includes a lever 81 having abase end pivotally supported on the inner surface of one side wall 32and a forward end provided with a groove opening 82, in which the handlestem 61 is engaged. The lever 81 is supported by a support member 63mounted on the forward end of the handle stem 61 and is reciprocallymovable with the stem 61. In the illustrated embodiment, a ball bearingis used as the support member 63. The handle stem 61 is attached to theinner race 64 of the bearing, while the lever 81 is supported by theouter race 65 thereof. The inner race 64 alone is rotatable with thehandle stem 61.

A connecting piece 83 projecting from the lever 81 approximately fromthe middle of its length is pivoted to the connector 41 extending fromthe movable support 4, whereby the external force applied to the forwardend of the lever 81 is approximately doubled by the action of the leverand given to the connector 41.

FIG. 12 shows an embodiment which, in addition to the force doublingmechanism 8 provided by the lever 81, incorporates a force doublingmechanism 80 comprising speed reduction gears 84 and 85. With referenceto the illustrated embodiment, a handle stem 61 provided with a handle60 is supported by a bearing sleeve 36 projecting from the center of thefront wall 31 of the fixed support 3. The drive gear 84 is mounted onthe stem end extending through the front wall 31 inwardly thereof. Onthe other hand, a screw shaft 86 screwed into a threaded sleeve 37projecting from a side portion of the front wall 31 extends through thefront wall 31 inwardly thereof and carries the driven gear 85diametrically larger than the drive gear 84 and meshing with the gear84. Consequently the torque of the handle 60 is increased in accordancewith the gear ratio between the gears 84 and 85, transmitted to thescrew shaft 86 and then delivered to the movable support 4 by way of theforce doubling mechanism 8 including the lever 81. The driven gear 85 isattached to the screw shaft 86 by a pin 87 passed through a slot 88,which permits the reciprocal movement of the screw shaft 86.

The device of this invention is provided with an assembly 7 forindicating on a scale the distance of movement of the movable support 4,namely, the degree of tension of the strings 11. While the indicatingassembly 7 can be embodied variously, the present embodiment comprisesan indication panel 71 mounted on the head base and having engravedthereon a mark A for indicating a proper tensioned state of the strings11 and a mark B for indicating a suitable loosened state of the strings11, as seen in FIG. 7. The indicating assembly 7 has an indicator 70which is shiftable with the travel of the movable support 4. Theindicator 70 is provided with an operating rod 73 extending upward fromthe movable support 4. The rod 73 has an upper end projecting upwardbeyond the base 2 and reciprocally movably engaged in a guide groove 74formed in an edge of the indication panel 71. On the other hand, a pin75 having a pointer 72 is rotatably supported on the indication panel71. A transmitting member 76 extends from the pin 75 to convert thereciprocating movement of the operating rod 73 to a turning motion anddeflect the pointer 72.

The pin 75 is provided with a spring 77, which biases the transmittingmember 76 toward the operating rod 73 at all times.

FIG. 13 shows restraining means provided for the reciprocating assembly6 for preventing the movable support 4 from being retracted toward theneck 13 by the tension of the strings 11.

According to the illustrated embodiment, the handle 60 of thereciprocating assembly 6 is equipped with the restraining means forpreventing the retraction. However various other arrangements areusable, including means for locking the movable support 4 directly tothe fixed support 3. The illustrated embodiment includes an L-shapedattaching member 91 secured to the outer face of the front wall 31 ofthe fixed support 3 and disposed immediately below the handle stem 51. Ascrew pin 93 having a knob 92 is screwed into the attaching member 91,while a pressing member 94 is pivoted to the member 91. The screw pin93, when turned, forces the pressing member 94 downward and presses aforward end pressing portion 95 of the member 94 against the inner faceof a flange 62 of the handle 60 to prevent the handle 60 from turningreversely. The support 4 can be restrained from retraction with greatlyimproved effectiveness if the inner face of the flange 62 is formed witha large number of incisions or the like to produce increased frictionbetween the flange 62 and the pressing member 94.

Although the present invention has been described above as embodied fora folk guitar, the construction described above is useful for classicguitars alike.

FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of the invention adapted for a classicguitar. A head base 2 integral with a neck 13 has a cavity 22dimensioned to accommodate winding assemblies 5 for all strings 11 andformed in the under side of the base. The cavity 22 is in communicationwith two coextensive elongated apertures 23 and 23 formed in its bottomwall. A fixed support 3 is also formed with elongated apertures 38 and38 in corresponding relation to the apertures 24. The string windingassemblies 5 are mounted on a movable plate 4 and positioned within thecavity 22. String winding pins 50 are disposed below the apertures 23and supported horizontally. Pegs 51 coupled to the pins by worm gears 52extend downward and have knobs 53 below the movable plate 4. As shown inFIG. 10, the winding pin 50 has a string insertion bore 54 extendingdiametrically therethrough. The insertion bore 54 has a holding portion55 formed by enlarging one open end thereof and a string engaging groove56 formed by cutting a peripheral portion of the pin 50 along adiametrical line and communicating with the insertion bore 54. An endportion of the string 11 is placed into the insertion bore 54 throughthe groove 56 with the string end attached to a holder 15, and theholder 15 is engaged in the holding portion 55. The end portion of thestring 11 is thus held to the winding pin 50 and wound around the pin50.

A description will not be given of a reciprocating assembly 6, anindicating assembly 7, etc. since they have the same construction asthose used for the folk guitar described.

FIG. 11 shows an embodiment in which a fixed support 3 is connecteddirectly to the forward end of a neck 13 to provide a head 10.

The fixed support 3 of the illustrated embodiment is in the form of acase having a bottom opening. A movable plate 4 carrying string windingassemblies 5 is disposed in and reciprocally supported by the case. Thesupport 3 has at its rear end connecting flanges 39 fitting to theforward end of the neck 13. This embodiment is advantageous over theforegoing embodiment having a base in that it assures savings inmaterial and does not require labor for making the base.

Industrial Applicability

The tuning device of this invention is used in the following manner.

First, the handle 60 of the reciprocating assembly 6 is turned toadvance the movable support 4 toward the forward end and then stoppedwhen the pointer 72 of the indicating assembly 7 has pointed to the markA indicating the proper tension. The movable support 4 is locked to itsstopped position by the locking means 9. Subsequently the knobs 53 ofthe winding assemblies 5 are turned to tension and accurately tune thestrings 11 with use of a pitch pipe or the like.

After playing, the movable support 4 is released from the restrainingmeans 9, and the handle 60 is turned in a direction opposite to theabove to retract the movable support 4 and is then stopped when thepointer 72 of the indicating assembly 7 has pointed to the mark Bshowing a suitable loosened state. With the strings 11 uniformlyloosened, the stringed instrument can be stored without any likelihoodof a break or elongation of the strings, or damage or deformation of thestring holding portions.

When the instrument is to be used again, the movable support 4 isreturned by turning the handle 60 to bring the pointer 70 of theindicating assembly 7 to the position of the mark A showing the propertension, whereby all the strings 11 can be tensioned to the same stateas previously in which they are accurately tuned, without any necessityof readjusting each of the strings 11.

When the indicating assembly 7 is not provided, the instrument is usablewith substantially the same advantages as above by counting the numberof turns of the handle 60.

I claim:
 1. A tuning device for a stringed musical instrument comprisinga movable support (4) supported by the head (10) of the instrument andreciprocally movable along strings (11), string winding assemblies (5)mounted on the movable support (4) and each having a string winding pin(50) for winding an end of the string thereon, and a reciprocatingassembly (6) provided between the head (10) and the movable support (4)for forcibly moving the movable support (4), the string winding pin (50)being formed with a string insertion bore (54), a holding portion (55)provided by an enlarged opening of the insertion bore and a stringengaging groove (56) formed in the surface of the pin and communicatingwith the insertion bore (54), the string end having attached thereto aholder (15) engageable with the holding portion (55).
 2. A tuning devicefor a stringed musical instrument as defined in claim 1 wherein theholder (15) is tapered toward its one end connected to the string.
 3. Atuning device for stringed musical instrument as defined in claim 1,wherein the holder (15) has closeable cutout grooves (16) in itsperiphery and the string end engages in the cutout grooves (16), wherebythe groove openings are closed and the holder is thereby attached to thestring (11).
 4. A tuning device for a stringed musical instrument asdefined in claim 1 wherein the holder (15) has the string end embeddedtherein and is thereby connected to the string (11).
 5. A tuning devicefor a stringed musical instrument as defined in claim 1 and furtherincluding an indicating assembly provided on said head of said musicalinstrument for indicating the amount of movement of said movable supporton a scale, said indicating assembly including an indicator which ismounted to shift with the travel of said movable support.